Hamilton Planning Board Continues Bridge Street Stormwater Permit to April Amid Enforcement Debate

HAMILTON -- March 1, 2022, Hamilton Planning Board continues Bridge Street stormwater permit hearing to April 5, wrestling with long-term enforcement. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to delay action on a stormwater management permit for zero Bridge Street, a lot cleared of trees before any permit was obtained by applicant John Murphy, after peer reviewer William Blaze of Weston and Sampson Engineers reported the revised plan now meets all 10 state stormwater standards, including 90 percent total suspended solids removal required for the site's Area of Critical Environmental Concern designation. Town counsel Robin Stein of KP Law told the board that if technical requirements are met the permit "generally should be granted," but said she could not confirm whether the town could automatically lien the property against future maintenance failures, calling that question one she would research before the next session. Robert Clark of Allen and Major Associates proposed a $3,500 annual maintenance bond as a permit condition, the figure listed on page 25 of the applicant's operations and maintenance plan. Neighbors on Miles River Road testified to ongoing runoff and silt damage from the cleared hillside, and the board directed Stein and Town Planner Patrick Reffett to draft enforceable permit conditions for member review before April 5.